Merry Xmas!
by moribayashi
Summary: One-shot. Unbeta-ed. AU. BoyLove. Tezuka celebrating his first Xmas with Fuji... or not. Okay. I know, it's long past Xmas, but I just feel like sharing, so enjoy.


_Disclaimer: I never own anything related to Tenipuri. Except for its ridiculously expensive merchandise. Konomi-sensei is one lucky bastard. _

_Mori's Note: I know, it's long past Xmas, but I feel like sharing. My first Xmas fic, and I don't celebrate Xmas, so please go easy on me. _

-x-

**Merry Xmas!**

By Moribayashi

"Say again, what exactly are you doing in the South Pole?"

"The Magazine wants me to take pictures of the Emperor Penguins for the front cover of the January Issue. The management changed their minds in the last minute and demanded something else. So they appointed me for the coverage."

Tezuka Kunimitsu rubbed his temple. This was not happening.

"Shuusuke, is this one of your pranks again?" When he found his voice back, it was flat and dry and far from amused.

"Ne Mitsu, you're not the only one who's upset about it," came the answer from the other receiving end of the phone. "Look, I promise it won't take long. I'll be back as soon as possible."

"But why on Christmas Eve? And why didn't you tell me earlier?"

Fuji Shuusuke sighed. "Well, packing your suitcase was already hard when you were given only six hours to get ready, not to mention that it was a long trip. Mitsu… I'm really sorry, but I got a deadline to meet. You know how my job is."

"Can't you ask your colleague to handle it?" Tezuka demanded. He knew that in normal circumstance, he would never voice out the thought because he'd then stand against his own ideals. But this wasn't normal circumstance, and he was desperate.

"I would've done that if it were possible. But I'm the only one available since most of my colleagues have taken their leaves earlier."

Closing his eyes, Tezuka huffed. He was trying to collect himself, while idly listening to some muffled sound on Fuji's side of the phone.

"Ne Mitsu, I gotta go now. The driver is coming. Take care, and make sure you'll come with Yuuta to the Christmas mass tonight, okay?"

"…Okay then. Take care."

"Love you, Kunimitsu."

"Love you too, Shuusuke."

The huge apartment was then accompanied by the silent morning once again. For once, Tezuka let a scowl spread freely across his handsome feature. Eyebrows knitted, lips pouted, facial muscle twitched. Bad. This was really bad. Not only had he lost the chance to spend his _first_ Christmas Eve with his boyfriend, but there would also 95 chance that Fuji wouldn't make it to the New Year holiday. He had been waiting for this moment to come. Although Christmas thingies were very common in Japan, never once in his entire twenty-six years of living did Tezuka celebrate the said western festivity. For it simply wasn't a tradition adopted by his old-fashioned family.

The scowl in the bespectacled man's face worsened as his eyes swept around the living room. The 1.5-meter-tall blue Christmas tree he had set three nights before, the Christmas presents he had arranged neatly under the tree, the meals he was preparing for the candlelight dinner. They were all for nothing. To maintain a long distant relationship is not easy, especially when they are oceans apart. Every moment of togetherness is always a treasure. And for that reason Fuji was supposed to celebrate the holiday with him. At home. In Tokyo. Instead, the said boyfriend was now stuck in the South Pole, of all places on earth. With penguins, of all things.

Glancing bitterly at the kitchen's direction, Tezuka considered if he would end up having instant food for dinner, all the while thinking that he might as well give up Christmas. All thanked to a certain brown-haired lover who didn't keep his promise. Whatever the reason was.

-x-

The phone rang through the apartment. Feeling annoyed, Tezuka turned his head lazily, searching for the clock on the wall. 8:03 P.M. He had fallen asleep on the sofa for six hours. No wonder his head hurt. The ruffled-dark haired man moved to the other end of the sofa, reaching for the phone.

"Moshi-moshi." His voice was heavy with sleep.

"Tezuka-san?"

"Yuuta-kun."

"Are you alright? Sounds like you're not feeling well," Yuuta's voice sounded worried.

"It's okay, I overslept."

"Oh. Well, I just wanna remind you about the Mass tonight. It's starting at 10 P.M., and to think there's always traffic jam on Christmas Eve, I'll get to your apartment by 9. How's that?"

Tezuka blinked. Oh yes, the Christmas Mass.

"I'm sorry, Yuuta-kun, I don't think I'll make it tonight," he politely refused.

There was a pause.

"I see… _Aniki _called you today, huh."

"Yes, sorry I can't go to the Mass with you. I think I'll stay home, just in case he calls again."

"Well… okay then. Just so you know, the midnight Mass usually lasts for two and a half hours. So I'll be in the Cathedral until about 12.30, in case you change your mind."

"Thank you, Yuuta-kun. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Tezuka-san. Take care."

Finished with the phone, Tezuka got up to find the light switch. He walked to the windows, observing the night sky. The snow started falling. Leaning onto the wall-sized window, Tezuka felt his mind relaxing. He remembered how watching snowfalls always brought him peace. The way the white flakes twirled magically in their falls sent his mind into a soothing trance. This was exactly why he loved winter.

However, the faint smile on Tezuka's face disappeared as soon as his brain registered Fuji's smiling face. Hn, that blue-eyed boyfriend of his. He wondered what Fuji might be doing right now. He imagined Fuji sitting alone in his hotel room, wondering what had happened to their should've been perfect Christmas Eve. Oh wait, it was himself. Fuji couldn't possibly be alone. He had the penguins.

Tezuka's thoughts drifted back to all the preparations he had made over the last few days, a faint crease was showing between his brows in the process. For once in what seemed like forever, Tezuka had let whatever childhood spirit left in him win over his usual serious, placid self. It had manifested in the joyous thought of spending his first Christmas Eve with his beloved. How was he to know it would shatter to pieces once he found out Fuji couldn't make it to fly back to Tokyo?

By now, the stoic man had completely lost his Christmas spirit, and developed a new habit of cursing instead. Stupid deadline. Stupid penguins. Stupid Shuusuke. Thinking that tonight he really wasn't in his usual self, Tezuka decided to wander along the streets. The colorful streetlights and the snowflakes might do well for his currently screwed up mind and bruised pride.

-x-

8:47 P.M.

Putting a glove on his left hand, Tezuka walked to the kitchen to check on the stove and the tap. Then, setting the dim light for his living room, his gaze fell onto the little blue Christmas tree. Sighing, he touched the soft fiber leaves gently. Fuji might never see this Christmas tree anyway, for Tezuka would've torn it down by the time the blue-eyed man arrived, on which he assumed would be around the first week of January. He knew this penguins business wasn't easy. In order to get to their natural habitat, Fuji might have had to take a chopper or a sledge. Not to mention if there was a photo-delay due to a blizzard or something.

Suddenly, Tezuka didn't feel bad anymore. Smiling, the bespectacled man then reached for the small switch behind the tree, and the colorful tiny bulbs sparkled beautifully in the dim light.

Grabbing his overcoat, Tezuka turned the doorknob and pulled it open…

…only to find Santa Claus standing in front of his door.

…or Rudolph the reindeer.

Or the combination of both, Tezuka couldn't tell since he wasn't sure whether or not it was natural for Santa to have a cute red nose, like that of a clown's. Or that if Santa occasionally shaved off his white beard and mustache and dyed his hair honey brown. Or that if he was on a strict diet.

"Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas, Kunimitsu! Have you been a good boy this year?" this peculiar Santa laughed merrily, though Tezuka could've sworn he heard a light sultry note somewhere in the line.

"Shuusuke." Tezuka was putting on his best stony expression. He didn't want to give Fuji the satisfaction by showing him how deep the stoic man had fallen into the smiling man's prank this time – up to the point of getting jealous of the _penguins_.

"Gotcha," grinning, Fuji leaned closer and pecked him on the lips. The bumping between his red nose and Tezuka's nose produced a tiny sound. Something like a clown's horn. But Tezuka had resolved not to go easy on his evil boyfriend, even if it would mean to restrain himself from chuckling at the cute trumpet sound.

"When did you arrive in Tokyo?"

"Saa, two days ago?" The Japanese speaking Santa answered cheerfully. Ignoring the dangerous glints in Tezuka's narrowed eyes, he eyed the taller man up and down. "Ne, Mitsu, are you going somewhere?"

Eyes never leaving Fuji, Tezuka answered coldly, "Yes."

"Good, I'll go get changed." Carrying his red velvet wheat bag on the shoulder, Fuji strode happily past the door – and his boyfriend, leaving a stunned Tezuka behind.

However, his strides gradually came to a halt in front of the glowing little blue Christmas tree in the corner. Gently, Fuji's long fingers reached out. Every single leaf was a slender soft-but-thick stick made of some rubbery fiber. Silvery white furry line spiraled the tree from the top down to the bottom. Cute shiny and glittery ornaments spread cheerfully all over its branches, along with the colorful tiny bulbs. The 'white snow' was scattered amongst the presents.

There were black-and-white photographs of the two lovers, at the size of smaller than a diskette, which were treated as part of the Christmas tree ornaments. On the top of the tree, a glittery white angel stood holding a photograph of Tezuka and Fuji kissing in front of a marble Cupid statue. The particular picture was taken on their rendezvous in Rome a couple of months ago, two days after Tezuka won a tennis tournament in Europe. It was their favourite picture.

"Kunimitsu… this is beautiful…" Fuji whispered.

"I took the tree because the color reminds me of you," Tezuka stood behind him, his lips close to his lover's ear. "Merry Christmas, Shuusuke."

Fuji turned around and hugged Tezuka tightly. "I love you," his words were muffled by the dark woolen sweater that covered Tezuka's shoulder. The dark haired man gathered Fuji's lithe body in his arms, drinking in the pleasant scent of him.

"I love you too, Shuusuke," he whispered. "I miss you…"

Loosening his hold a bit to take a good look at his smiling boyfriend, Fuji's bright blue eyes sparkled with happiness. "I miss you too, Kunimitsu dear…" Fingers buried amongst Tezuka's thick hair, Fuji leaned forward to capture the awaiting lips.

They both were kissing until Tezuka decided to pull away, not asking for breaths but of getting annoyed at the noisy sound of Fuji's red Rudolph nose. It kept trumpeting whenever it got bumped or touched, and Fuji liked bumping his fake nose into Tezuka's. Chuckling, Tezuka carefully removed the red ornament and then continued kissing Fuji passionately.

"Nn… Mitsu… wait…" panting, Fuji pushed his body away, feeling as if he should remember something. "Yuuta is waiting for us in the Cathedral."

"Hnnn… should we go…" Tezuka kept advancing to capture the pale pink lips playfully.

"Yes, I wanna show you the proper Christmas celebration, and that includes the Grand Midnight Mass."

"Hnnn…" Tezuka was now kissing Fuji's neck, causing the other man to shudder at the tickling sensation.

"We'll have plenty of time for this… besides, I need to get your presents ready."

"But I already got my present… Santa," Tezuka drawled teasingly.

"Ahh, too bad…" Pulling away, Fuji's eyebrows knitted as if in contemplation. "Maybe I should drop the rest of the Christmas package, then."

Tezuka stopped and looked at him.

Fuji smiled naughtily. "Didn't I tell you I wanna give you the most unforgettable first Christmas Eve?"

Well, the whole South Pole prank was hardly forgettable.

"I believe you've reached your goal," Tezuka replied dryly.

Fuji laughed. "I'm sorry, Mitsu. I know it was a little bit out of line. That's why I've planned to make it all up to you." Oh but the look on Kunimitsu's face when he found Fuji outside the door in Santa costume was just priceless. Fuji wouldn't trade that with anything.

"Right. Now that we're almost late for the Mass, I better go get changed." With that, the smiling brown head broke free from his lover's embrace and walked towards the bedroom.

Watching the Santa costume-clad man head for the door, Tezuka's eyes glinted in something close to mischief. After all, it was time for Shuusuke to get his lessons. Without warning, Tezuka trooped out in front of Fuji and lifted the younger man's body in one swift movement, then carried him on his shoulder exactly like the way Santa carry his wheat bag. Fuji yelped.

"Kunimitsu! What are you doing? Kunimitsu, put me down!"

Smirking, Tezuka proceeded to walk towards their bedroom.

"Tezuka Kunimitsu! You are not supposed to carry me like this! After all, I am the Santa! TEZUKAAAA!"

And the door was closed.

-Owari-

Mori's Note: Aniki means older brother (formal)


End file.
